ESPN NFL

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Ravens in 2012.

Dream scenario (13-3): The Ravens come back more motivated after falling a couple of plays short of getting to the Super Bowl. Baltimore takes care of its biggest distractions before the season by signing quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice to long-term deals. The Ravens go on to produce the best record in the AFC and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Flacco backs up his claim of being an elite quarterback and finally takes control of the offense. He has a reputation makeover similar to the one Eli Manning had. Flacco gets help in the passing game with wide receiver Torrey Smith and tight end Ed Dickson, who stretch the field even more in their second seasons as starters. Rookie second-round pick Kelechi Osemele is able to make the transition from college tackle to left guard, which is the biggest question mark on the Ravens' offensive line.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs gives the defense a big boost when the NFL's reigning defensive player of the year is able to return in early November from an Achilles injury. Rookie second-round pick Courtney Upshaw steps up to replace Jarret Johnson as the team's edge setter on run defense. And Baltimore shuts down some of the best wide receivers in the NFL with the league's most impressive pair of cornerbacks in Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith.

Nightmare scenario (7-9): Baltimore can't shake the crushing loss in the AFC Championship Game and fails to make the playoffs for the first time in the John Harbaugh era. The injury to Suggs is too tough to overcome, and Rice isn't the same player after skipping offseason workouts and training camp. Not being at the top of their game hurts the Ravens, who have the fourth-toughest schedule in the NFL.

The offensive line shows some cracks with declining left tackle Bryant McKinnie and overhyped right tackle Michael Oher. Center Matt Birk begins to show his age (he turns 36 in July), and Baltimore fails to adequately replace Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs. The lack of consistency up front puts more pressure on Flacco, who is forced to rush and throws more interceptions than he has in the past. Anquan Boldin watches his receptions decrease for a third straight season, and Torrey Smith drops more deep passes than he catches.

Defensively, Suggs is able to return late in the season but he doesn't have the explosiveness to be effective. The Ravens drop out of the top 10 in defense for the first time since 2002 because Paul Kruger can't replace Suggs, Ray Lewis' play slows down with his age (he's 37) and Ed Reed stays in a funk because he's unhappy with his contract.

Defense has been the big brother on the Baltimore Ravens for more than the past decade. It's been the one responsible for hard-fought wins, playoff victories and even a Super Bowl title.

Now, linebacker Ray Lewis is 37. Safety Ed Reed "isn't committed" to football this year. And linebacker Terrell Suggs, the best defensive player in the game last season, is out for an extended period with an Achilles injury.

The Ravens can't lean on their defense any longer. It's unfair to ask these defenders to hold teams to 16.6 points per game like last season. If the Ravens want to reach the playoffs for a fifth straight season, the offense has to take charge.

Being an average offense isn't going to cut it. The pressure is on for the Ravens to produce more points and yards than they've done the past 14 years, and quarterback Joe Flacco says he wouldn't want it any other way.

"I hope it does put more pressure on us," Flacco said. "I feel like we need that pressure. I feel like I want that pressure on us. I feel like we need to become a better offense and we need to become somebody that goes out there and puts points on the board week in and week out and is really responsible for winning a lot of games. If it does put pressure on us, I’m all for it."

You have to wonder if Flacco relishes the pressure. He certainly seems to invite it. Flacco is heading into the final year of his contract and is coming off an offseason in which he declared himself the best quarterback in the league.

To his credit, Flacco has played his best when faced with pressure situations. He's won in Pittsburgh the past two years with touchdown passes in the final 32 seconds of the game. He would've thrown the winning pass in the AFC Championship Game if Lee Evans had held onto the ball.

No one can accuse Flacco for lacking confidence. He's played with a chip on his shoulder since coming to the NFL from the University of Delaware, which Flacco himself called the "minor leagues of college football." Then, in early April, Flacco was asked if he was a top-five quarterback. His response: "I don’t think I’m the top five, I think I’m the best."

Flacco has since said the comments have been blown out of proportion. But he has never backed down from them. Maybe this is Flacco's way of putting more pressure on himself.

"I believe I'm the best at what I do," Flacco said this week. "I’m not comparing myself to anybody, but I do believe in myself. Just like anybody else that has any pride or feels like they want to be the best would say. What do you want me to say? I’m mediocre. I’d rather take criticism for believing that I’m the best than saying, ‘I’m probably somewhere in the middle of the pack.’ That’s kind of crazy to me."

The reality is Baltimore has been a middle-of-the-pack offense despite its talent. The Ravens have the league leader in total yards in running back Ray Rice. They have one of the most prolific wide receivers in NFL history in Anquan Boldin (the fastest player ever to 400, 500 and 600 catches in a career) and an emerging deep threat in Torrey Smith (five of his seven touchdowns covered at least 25 yards). Their fullback is a Pro Bowl player (Vonta Leach), their two offensive tackles are former first-round picks (Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher) and their right guard (Marshal Yanda) is perhaps the best at his position.

"We just continue to keep getting better every year, and we flashed some really good things last year," Yanda said. "We just need to be more consistent. I think we’ve flashed tools to be the No. 1 offense."

The problem is their potential hasn't led to production. Baltimore has never had an offense ranked higher than 13th since Vinny Testaverde left in 1998. In four seasons with Flacco and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the offense has ranked 18th, 13th, 22nd and 15th.

"Those are some names that should make this offense more than just a par-for-average offense," said Marcellus Wiley, a former NFL defensive lineman and current ESPN analyst. "This is an offense that is 15th-ranked and should be better than that."

Some might say the Ravens have underachieved because they haven't been put in a position where they've needed to be aggressive. With one of the best defenses every year, Baltimore knows a win is virtually assured when it scores more than two touchdowns. In fact, the Ravens have won 82 percent of their games (46-10 record) since 2008 when they score more than 14 points.

That mindset has to change with Suggs out of the lineup and an imposing schedule that features seven quarterbacks who have totaled 22 Pro Bowls and six Super Bowl titles: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton.

The Ravens have to think touchdowns instead of field goals. They have to attack downfield instead of worrying about a turnover. The Ravens' playoff hopes rest on the offense getting out of the passenger seat and living up to the expectations of being a top-10 one in the league.

"You definitely want to be that," Flacco said. "I think we have the ability to be that. It's just a matter of making our mind up and having the confidence to do that."

A respected committee of ESPN experts -- including Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Gary Horton and Matt Williamson -- got together to look into the crystal ball and produce the NFL Future Power Rankings .

The projection is for the 2015 season and takes into account five factors: roster (32.5 percent), quarterback (17.5 percent), draft (15 percent), front office (15 percent) and coaching (20 percent).

You'll need an Insider subscription to see the entire post, but here's the AFC North portion of it:

5. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Williamson: The "Steeler Way" has been working extremely well for a long time, as Pittsburgh's front office evaluates college talent and its own players as well as any team in the league. They are exceptional.

Hensley: The key was the Steelers using their top two picks on offensive linemen. As long as Ben Roethlisberger is protected and stays healthy, the Steelers will be among the top teams in the NFL.

10. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Kiper: No team consistently delivers as much value. Ozzie Newsome is a Hall of Famer … in the front office, too. The Ravens face some big personnel losses on defense coming soon, but few are better equipped to move on.

Hensley: The biggest question mark facing the Ravens by 2015 is how do they replace the leadership of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Baltimore needs its offense to become the dominant unit in order for the Ravens to be a top-10 team at this point.

11. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Dilfer: Andy Dalton quietly had an exceptionally good rookie season. Only Cam Newton diminished it. He has maintained a mature approach that we saw when he was at TCU; he gets deep into his reads, has an accurate arm and should continue to get better. If they can run it a little better, this offense will take a big leap.

Hensley: The Bengals have certainly set themselves up with two really strong drafts. The key is developing this talent and making sure these young players reach their potential. Cincinnati could be the most complete team in the division by 2015, with the emphasis on could.

32. CLEVELAND BROWNS

Williamson: Color me skeptical of the Browns' front office -- and this organization isn't exactly patient. Cleveland's front office is now directly tied to Brandon Weeden's future success. I can't say that is the perfect position to be in.

Hensley: With the exception of Trent Richardson, this team lacks playmakers. That's a rough spot to be in when you play defenses like the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals. And don't forget that Weeden will turn 32 during the 2015 season.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Billy Cundiff is trying to do what Scott Norwood and Gary Anderson failed to do -- remain confident after a monumental missed kick.

Cundiff said his confidence is "as high as it's ever been" four months removed from hooking a last-minute, 32-yard field goal that would've tied the AFC Championship Game in New England. NFL history says that will be tough to do.

After Norwood missed a 47-yarder that would've won the Super Bowl in January 1991, he struggled with a career-worst 62.1 success rate the next season and was out of football in 1992. After Anderson missed a game-clinching, 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of the 1998 NFC Championship Game, he hit a career-low 63.3 percent of his field goals the next season.

So, why is Cundiff so confident? He points out two facts: that was his only miss in the playoffs for the Ravens (he had hit his previous 11 field goals) and he had been perfect in the fourth quarter all season (6-for-6 in the regular season).

"The situation was pretty unique," Cundiff said of the miss that sailed wide right with 11 seconds remaining. "I will learn what I can from it and keep my confidence high."

Cundiff hasn't had to hide or wear any disguises when he goes out in public in Baltimore. In fact, he was stopped by a cashier at Fresh Market Tuesday night who, instead of blaming him, suggested the coach should've called a timeout before the miss.

"[The response has] actually been really positive, to be perfectly honest with you," Cundiff said. "What's in the past is in the past. If you don't win the Super Bowl in this league, what you do really doesn't matter for the most part. You can take your stats and compare it against other people. If you're not helping your team win the big one, everybody is back to the drawing board the next year."

Cundiff's fall has been a dramatic one. He signed a five-year, $14.7 million contract after being a Pro Bowl kicker in 2010. He had connected on a career-best 26 field goals and set a team record with 44 touchbacks that season. Then, last season, he struggled with 10 missed field goals, all of which came on the road.

What topped off a season to forget was the miss in the AFC Championship Game, a kick that would've sent the game into overtime.

Cundiff said he didn't seek out Norwood or Anderson for advice.

"I wasn't looking for consoling. I wasn't looking for counseling," he said. "For me, it was one of those things where you meet it head on and move on."

Cundiff acknowledged he did receive help from a sports psychologist that he's seen since 2007, when he was out of the league.

"He's not there as a shrink. He's not there to analyze my emotions," Cundiff said. "He was one of the guys who was a big influence on me when I was out of football. We were constantly going on what I could improve on. When I got back into football, I was more mentally strong and that carried into the last couple of seasons. What happened in New England is what happened in New England. You move on and it doesn't change any of my preparation."

Cundiff added, "If anything, it shows I've got the confidence to keep going. I'm standing here. The team doesn't have [any other kicker] here. The team believes in me. The coach has been really positive with me throughout the whole offseason. Now, it's just a matter of continuing to get better."

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh believes Ed Reed will play despite recent comments that suggest the Pro Bowl safety is wavering.

"Ed is a guy that I really trust and I really care about and believe in," Harbaugh said after Wednesday's workout. "There's been no indication that he's not going to play as far as I'm concerned. I don't worry about Ed. He's a mature guy. He's a superstar. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer. He's a leader. We're counting on Ed being here."

Reed was among a handful of veterans who didn't attend Wednesday's voluntary practice.

He created a stir last week when he told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he was "not 100 percent committed right now to playing this year." Reed later clarified his comments, saying he plans on playing in 2012 and possibly beyond.

In trying to interpret Reed's comments, Harbaugh said he believes Reed was talking about not being committed to the offseason workouts.

"He's got a lot of things going on and he's working on personal things," Harbaugh said. "I guarantee he's training. I guarantee he's preparing for the season. That's just Ed."

Offseason training activities for veterans and rookies kick off today for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's a look at the newcomers to watch for each team:

BENGALS: Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The prize of the Bengals' free agency was Green-Ellis, the New England Patriots free agent who signed a three-year, $9 million contract. The focus for the Bengals' offense is to get Green Ellis in rhythm with the team's new-look line. He's an improvement over Cedric Benson, who upgrades the Bengals in the red zone and provides a dependability factor.

Green-Ellis never fumbled in his four seasons in New England. Benson, meanwhile, fumbled five times in two December games last season. Green-Ellis' ability to hammer the ball across the goal line won't show up in non-contact drills this offseason, but it will be appreciated during the season. He led the Patriots with 24 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons. As a team, Cincinnati totaled 18 rushing touchdowns over that same span.

BROWNS: Defensive end Frostee Rucker. All eyes will remain on the Browns' two first-round picks, running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden. Both will be instrumental in how the Browns revive the NFL's 29th-ranked offense. What shouldn't go overlooked is the addition of Rucker, the former Bengals lineman who will be pivotal in turning around another weak area -- the league's 30th-ranked run defense.

Rucker, 28, was the Browns' big target in a low-key free agency period for the team. A full-time starter for the first time in his career last season, he signed a five-year, $21 million contract that includes $8 million guaranteed. The hope is he can have the same impact with the Browns as he did for the Bengals, who ranked 10th in the league in run defense last season. The statistic that jumps out with Rucker is his 11 tackles for loss, which led the Bengals.

RAVENS: Offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele. The biggest question mark on the Ravens' offense is left guard. Osemele needs to beat out Jah Reid in order to become the first Ravens rookie offensive lineman to start a season opener since Michael Oher in 2009. Baltimore tried to address that spot in free agency, but it was unable to re-sign Ben Grubbs and failed to lure Evan Mathis from the Philadelphia Eagles.

The lack of success in free agency forced the Ravens to use a second-round draft pick on Osemele. There's no doubt that Osemele will be able to hold up physically, considering he's 6-foot-5, 333 pounds. The challenge for him is adjusting to a new position. An offensive tackle at Iowa State, Osemele has to show he can fit in next to veterans Matt Birk and Bryant McKinnie. There will be a drop-off at this spot since a Pro Bowl player like Grubbs is gone, but the development of Osemele will determine if it is a major or minor one.

STEELERS: Offensive tackle Mike Adams. The Steelers showed their commitment to Adams starting right away when team officials phoned Willie Colon after the draft to let him know he was moving to guard. Now, it's up to Adams to show he's capable of doing so. He's a first-round talent who fell to the second round because of off-field issues. The uncertainty with Adams on the field is whether he's strong enough to play in the NFL as a rookie.

There's no such doubts with first-round pick David DeCastro, who is expected to be an eventual Pro Bowl player at right guard. As the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review pointed out, the Steelers have started a rookie up front to open the season three times since the 1970 merger. Pittsburgh could have two in the starting lineup in Week 1 at Denver. Of course, it's up to Adams to show he's ready.

The Ravens and running back Ray Rice continue to talk, which is a positive sign. But the sides have not made any progress toward a new deal, a source familiar with the talks told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The deadline for Rice and the Ravens to strike a new deal is 56 days away. If he doesn't sign a contract by July 16, he will play under the $7.7 million franchise tag.

The fact that there's been a lack of progress shows the struggle to find a middle ground. Rice probably believes he deserves a contract closer to the one given to the Titans' Chris Johnson (six years with $30 million guaranteed). In fact, Rice has had more total yards over the past three years than Johnson.

But the Ravens are likely trying to get the money closer to the deals recently signed by Arian Foster (five years, $43.5 million with $20.75 million guaranteed) and LeSean McCoy (five-year, $45 million with $20.76 million guaranteed). Baltimore can argue that is now the market value for running backs.

Until the sides can bridge a $10 million difference in the guaranteed money, there will be no progress made toward a new deal.

The Eagles signed running back LeSean McCoy to a five-year, $45 million extension Thursday evening, $20.76 million of which is guaranteed. This continues to provide a framework of the market value for running backs, but this deal might not accelerate the signing of Ravens running back Ray Rice.

The problem is the disparity between the tiers for running backs. McCoy's deal is in line with the second tier like the Texans' Arian Foster (five years, $43.5 million, with $20.75 million guaranteed). But Rice could be shooting for the top tier that includes the Vikings' Adrian Peterson (seven years with $36 million guaranteed) and the Titans' Chris Johnson (six years with $30 million guaranteed).

What will likely get a deal done is finding a middle ground. Rice doesn't belong at the top of the pay scale because he hasn't averaged 13 rushing touchdowns over five seasons like Peterson and he doesn't have a 2,000-yard rushing season on his resume like Johnson.

But, based on the statistics, Rice deserves to get paid more than Foster and McCoy. In his three seasons as the featured back, Rice has produced 5,885 total yards, an average of 1,962 yards per season. That tops the three-year total yards by Foster (4,411) and McCoy (4,241).

That's why a five-year extension with $25 million guaranteed would be a fair deal for Rice.

Rice is currently scheduled to make $7.7 million this season as the Ravens' franchise player. If the sides can't reach a new deal by July 16, Rice will have to play this season under the tag.

He has yet to sign his tender and could skip training camp. Keeping in shape while working out on his own is not a concern for Rice.

"Training is something that I never worried about," Rice told the Carroll County (Md.) Times last weekend. "It's something that you got to want. I actually have the burning to desire to come back, not only for myself, but to come back ready to play. My training has always been part of my routine."

Rice has been training with former Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook.

"Nobody ever had to beat me in the head to get up and work out," Rice said. "Anybody who knows about my workout regimen, I've probably been through two before noon. Training has never been my issues but obviously, the team camaraderie, the lockout and all that stuff, that's the stuff that you kind of miss with the guys. But as far as being ready, I know I'll be ready."

The AFC North quarterbacks received no love from NFL.com, which ranked the division's passers fifth in the league.

This is a little low in my estimation. Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton and Brandon Weeden (or Colt McCoy) should at least be No. 4. Here's how NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah assessed the division:

It was a tough call putting this group behind the AFC West QBs. Big Ben has two Super Bowl rings and is arguably the best in the league at extending the play. Last season, Flacco was a dropped pass away from making his Super Bowl debut, while Dalton would've been the talk of the league if not for Cam Newton's amazing rookie year. I'm not the biggest Weeden fan, but he does have size and a live arm.

For those reasons, I would put the AFC North ahead of the AFC West, which ranked fourth despite featuring a banged-up Peyton Manning and a struggling Philip Rivers, along with two quarterbacks on the hot seat (Matt Cassel and Carson Palmer). Roethlisberger has to be considered better than Manning at this point. Flacco outplayed Tom Brady in the AFC title game, and Rivers threw the third-most interceptions in the NFL (20). And Dalton made more of an impact on his team as a rookie than veterans Cassel and Palmer did last season.

The AFC North falls short of No. 3 with the NFC East, which has Eli Manning, Tony Romo, Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III. Roethlisberger has as many rings as Manning, but it's difficult to argue that Flacco had a better season than Romo (31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions). The nod goes to the NFC East in Dalton-Vick and Weeden-RG3.

Ravens safety Ed Reed said he's "not 100 percent committed right now to playing this year," according to tweets from Sirius Radio's Rich Gannon and Adam Schein.

When asked if the Ravens know he's not committed, Reed said, "I'm sure they will after this interview."

Let's not overreact to this. This isn't news. This is Ed being Ed. This is the same player who has contemplated retirement every year since the end of the 2008 season because of a nerve impingement in his neck -- even saying he was 50-50 to return in January 2010 -- but he always ends up playing.

There will come a time soon when Reed will call it quits on a likely Hall of Fame career. He turns 34 when the season begins and he's only played one full season in the past three. The feeling is that he won't be leaving the game this year. It gets increasingly more difficult to believe Reed the more he uses the retirement card. It has come to the point when Reed should only say the word "retirement" when he is announcing his retirement.

Trying to read Reed and his clues are often a struggle. After the Ravens’ AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots, Reed didn't speak to reporters but sang "I think I better let it go ..." (from the Teddy Pendergrass song “Love TKO”) as he walked out of the locker room. A month later, Reed told coach John Harbaugh that he's preparing himself to play in 2012.

Reed often contradicts himself, which makes it so hard to analyze what he really means. In late March, Reed said playing four to five more seasons is "a reality for me." In early April, Reed talked about how he's been trying to get a new contract from the Ravens. Now, he's not committed.

So, what is it, Ed? Do you want the Ravens to give you a new long-term deal or are you going to retire?

Maybe this is about wanting a new contract. Perhaps this is Reed's way of getting the Ravens' attention. Reed is entering the final year of a six-year, $44.4 million contract. But Reed could be feeling left out because the Ravens signed cornerback Lardarius Webb to a six-year, $50 million extension this offseason and are currently in talks with quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice. Maybe he feels like he has leverage considering the Ravens could be without linebacker Terrell Suggs this season.

If this is truly about a contract, Reed is only hurting himself by saying he's not committed to this season. It wouldn't be wise for the Ravens to give a big signing bonus to Reed if he's not invested in playing for an extended period.

When asked about Reed's future in March, owner Steve Bisciotti told the Baltimore Sun: “We’ll either have to get him signed to an extension, he has to say that he’s done or we have to face the possibility of seeing him play in another uniform. That’s the reality of this.”

As I've said before, trying to get in the head of Reed is laborious, frustrating and often pointless. I won't believe he is going to retire until he actually walks away from the game.

Warning: Trying to understand retired Ravens running back Ricky Williams' train of thought can lead to headaches; or at the very least, a great deal of confusion.

Just listen to Williams' reasoning on why he believes there is a link between concussions and brain damage.

"I don't buy it," Williams told ESPN's Dan Le Batard on Tuesday. “I'm only speaking from my personal experience, because I've never allowed myself to buy it, and I haven't been affected by it. Yes, I'm aware that football is a rough sport, but instead of saying, 'Oh, I'm doomed to like brain trauma,' I said, 'What can I do about it?' And I just started taking care of my body. I found people, places and things that really helped me. Again, I don't know what's going to happen to me in 10 years, but for me I look at the other things I've learned about and the way I see the world.”

This makes you wonder if Williams is thinking clearly after 2,431 carries in the NFL. If I'm following him correctly, and I'm not totally certain that I am, the key for football players to avoid head trauma later in life is to keep in good physical shape and refuse to believe science.

"So is science like the new deity of our culture? It is, but should it be?," Williams said. "If you look at science 100 years ago, the things that they thought based on their science, we now show they had no idea of what they're talking about. I think as time goes on, the things that I've been saying are just going to be proven to be correct. The way that football is looking at it now, if you follow the trajectory, it creates the end of football. So, do we want football to die? I don't."

Williams is the one who is sounding behind the times. It's amazing that Williams can have this way of thinking, especially after spending a season in the same locker room with center Matt Birk. Three years ago, Birk pledged to donate his brain and spinal cord tissues after death to a Boston University medical school program that is looking to better understand the long-term effects of repeated concussions.

Williams certainly has the right to speak his mind and he's dealt with more blows to the head than I ever will. He said he doesn't know how many concussions he's had but he doesn't feel any effects right now. You have to wonder whether his stance on concussions and head trauma will change 10 years from now.

Under league rules, the Baltimore Ravens would be within their rights to not pay linebacker Terrell Suggs for the games he will miss due to his Achilles injury. But, under the rules of the locker room, the players would likely frown upon such a decision against a respected teammate and leader.

League sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Suggs and Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters are facing a financial reduction in 2012. This would be a bad move for the Ravens. Suggs is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and has been a loyal soldier to the franchise. He's only missed three games in his nine-year career and he's played -- and played well -- through injuries. Suggs had two sacks in the AFC championship game against Pittsburgh four years ago despite wearing a shoulder harness. When a player has given this much to a team, it's poor taste to reach for his wallet when he is injured -- even if it's a business decision.

Still, the Ravens can place him on the Non-Football Injury list because he was hurt while away from the team. It doesn't matter if Suggs tore his Achilles while playing basketball (which were the initial reports) or practicing a conditioning test (which is what Suggs says happened), although saying it happened during the latter makes Suggs looks better.

He was injured outside a team-supervised workout, and under league rules, the team isn't obligated to pay him. Based on his $4.9 million salary in 2012, the Ravens could save $2 million if Suggs missed seven games on the Non-Football Injury list.

While the Ravens have the authority to take money away, it would be surprising for them to actually do it. Baltimore is counting on Suggs to be the foundation of the defense once Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are gone. The Ravens certainly wouldn't take money away from Lewis or Reed. So, don't expect them to do it with Suggs.

In his first comments on Suggs' injury earlier this month, coach John Harbaugh said Suggs "will continue to be a huge part of what we are doing [and] continue to be a leader." This doesn't sound like the Ravens have any intention of reducing Suggs' paycheck. In fact, Suggs is thinking of getting more money. League sources told Mortensen that Suggs is contemplating a restructuring or extension of his contract when he is healthy that would reflect his status among the league's players after he was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Putting a high-profile player on the Non-Football Injury list wouldn't be unprecedented in the AFC North. It was just last year when the Bengals placed linebacker Keith Rivers on the Non-Football Injury list. Rivers later filed a grievance to recoup his salary, which likely factored in the former first-round pick getting traded to the New York Giants this offseason. This shows how putting a player on the Non-Football Injury list can cause bad feelings.

The Ravens don't have to make a decision on whether to put Suggs on the Non-Football Injury list until the start of training camp. Considering what Suggs has given the franchise for nearly a decade, it would be a bad move for the Ravens to take money away from him.

It comes as no surprise that the Cleveland Browns have the largest rookie pool. With 11 draft picks, including two first-rounders, the Browns were allowed to spend $9.7 million to sign their selections.

The league determines the numbers for the rookie pool by how many picks a team has and where those picks were located in each round.

The rest of the AFC North is in the middle of the NFL in terms of the rookie pool: Cincinnati Bengals ($6.8 million), Pittsburgh Steelers ($5.1 million) and Baltimore Ravens ($4.3 million).

The Ravens were the first team in the NFL to sign all of their draft picks. There's only two unsigned picks for the Steelers (guard David DeCastro and linebacker Sean Spence) and the Browns (running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden).

The Bengals still need to sign six of their draft picks: cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, guard Kevin Zeitler, wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, tight end Orson Charles and running back Dan Herron.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Baltimore Ravens and why.

Four of the the Ravens' five defensive coordinators in their history have gone on to become head coaches. Baltimore's defense has ranked in the top six in eight of the past nine years. So, there's tremendous pressure on new defensive coordinator Dean Pees to uphold the standard of excellence.

His job became much more difficult when linebacker Terrell Suggs, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, tore his Achilles. He also faces the delicate situation of how to handle team leaders Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, both of whom showed their age toward the end of last season. Then, add in the season-ending stretch where Baltimore faces seven Pro Bowl quarterbacks in its final eight games (they also account for five Super Bowl rings).

Pees is familiar with strong defenses. He spent the past two seasons as the Ravens’ linebackers coach after a six-year stint helping run Bill Belichick’s defense in New England. During Pees’ four-year tenure as defensive coordinator (2006-09), the Patriots were the only team in the NFL to finish in the top 10 in scoring defense each season. He now gets the keys to an aggressive Baltimore defense that ranked third in the NFL in sacks (48) and first in forced fumbles (21) last season.

In taking over the Ravens' defense, Pees called it a "humbling" opportunity. It's also a challenging one to follow in the footsteps of Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan, Rex Ryan and Chuck Pagano.

The AFC North blog doesn't give birthday shout-outs, but this one has special significance.

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis turns 37 today, which could be the magic number for him. In April 2011, Lewis hinted at a target date for his retirement when he told the NFL Network, "I can’t see myself playing football past 37.”

Lewis made it clear after Baltimore's AFC Championship Game loss that he was returning in 2012, but there has to be questions about whether he will play beyond this year. At some point, Lewis is going to have to say goodbye to football, although there haven't been any recent indicators he will be calling it quits anytime soon. His contract runs through 2015, and the Ravens showed confidence in Lewis when they once again didn't draft his eventual replacement in April.

Lewis started off strong last season and was among the NFL's top inside linebackers in the first half of the 2011. Then, after missing four games with a toe injury, he seemed to wear down toward the end of the year.

Still, he has been one of the league's top Iron Men. His 222 games played is second-most among active players, ranking only behind a kicker (Jason Hanson). He is the longest-tenured Raven on the roster by six seasons (safety Ed Reed is second).

No other great middle linebacker has played as along as Lewis. Mike Singletary retired after 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears before his play declined. The Pittsburgh Steelers' Jack Lambert walked away after 11 years because of a severe toe injury. And the Bears' Dick Butkus stopped after nine seasons because of knee injuries.

Lewis is now entering his 17th season in the NFL. And, after turning 37 today, you have to wonder whether this will be his last.